In times of austerity let's replace all the street lamps

[Jonzjob]

Funnly enough OH and I have just got back from taking our chokky labrador for a walk and on route we got talking about street lights and I mentioned this thread. She had been talking to her cousin on Saturday and she said that they had just finished replacing the street lights on her estate in Malvern.

Reason. The new ones are more eco friendly! They will save money! This was the reason given by the council!

I wonder if they think that everyone is a moron? There are lots of other things that need replacing or repairing and the lights weren't one of them! I can't imagine that they are only doing her estate and that all of Malvern are one the list!

Edit : - Nealry forgot to say that the track pad is the best I have ever used. No buttons, not needed, just LOADS of functions using 1, 2, 3 or 4 fingers. Smooth as silk too!

 

[wobblycogs]

On the face of it replacing the street lighting seemed crazy to me so I decided to try and find out what the saving would likely be. I've always felt that street lighting was mostly a waste of power but I hadn't realized quite how much power it's actually consuming.

Apparently the average street light consumes about 80W although that varies greatly from about 20W to 400W depending on the installation. Replacing an existing "always on when it's dark" style light with a modern controllable LED light can provide energy savings of 70 to 80% and payback in as little as two years.

Perhaps we could be doing better things with the money but if these figures are about right it seems like it's high time we started replacing street lighting and even questioning if we need it at all in some places.

References
http://www.prlog.org/10088665-80-savings-on-electricity-with-led-street-lighting.html
http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2004/MarinaAvetisyan.shtml
http://www.e-streetlight.com/Documents/Homepage/0_3 Guide_For EE Street Lighting.pdf

 

[treeturner123]

Jonzjob,

Malvern; why don' the coucil extend the wonderful Gas lighting that is, as far as I know still there in some parts. Gives a lovely light and I am sure is much less expensive for gas consumption.

Also, on road lighting generally, I notice that at least on the M5, they are turning off ALL the lights from midnight. That is approx 40 miles worth of lighting frm Birmingham to Strensham. I'm sure that will reduce consumption with no effect on safety.

Phil

 

[Jonzjob]

Blimey Phil, I bet you think you've gone blind if you're driving along there when the lights go out? Or do the do it progressivly? And I'll bet it don't arf give a real shock to the clowns who drive on side lights :shock: :shock: :shock:

Mind you I have been known to drive almost the full length of the M5 on side lights! But that was just after it was opened and I was driving back to R.A.F. Lyneham at 3 or 4 in the morning on a full moon cloudless night. Sometimes I would even see another car too otherwise I would be the only car there :mrgreen: I don't think I would try that now :? :?

 

[RogerS]

Re the gas lamps....all can be read here http://transitionmalvernhills.org.uk/tr ... g/gaslamps. A local group got together with technical experts and came up with a much better improved way of ignition/running them etc. and so full marks to them. Guess it helps having ex-Qinetiq types retiring in the area!

As for the replacement lights mentioned by Jonzjob, I've drawn a blank!

 

[gregmcateer]

Alright, dw and wc, (and anyone else who gives a hoot),

The repair bill for the park gates?.....

249

Yep, youi'd better believe it - 249, that's thousand of yer English sterling pounds!!!

I'll put it in full, just ot let it sink in - £249,000 to repair some Victorian Cast Iron Gates!!!!

I spoke to my blacksmith buddy in Oz and he siad he'll personally come over, buy new tools and materials, stay in first class, 5 star accommodation and still come away in profit for half that.

Un-be-lievable!!!

Happy Christmas

Greg

 

[studders]

Was watching a daytime prog the other day, on it they showed a train carriage that had been graffitied. They used chemicals to remove the graffiti and it damages the plastic livery decals, which 'have' (apparently) to be replaced. Still with me?
So..... how much do the Rail operators pay to have new decals put on just one carriage?

Answer coming soon.

 

[Jonzjob]

They are very pretty, but for that they could be studded with diamonds and made of solid gold, or almost!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobasonic/82257620/

Someone on that council has got to be getting a very big backhander and if it were the council in my area I would want to know why they were buying the Crown Jewels?

That is idiotic!

OK Studders, I give up? 3/6p?

 

[studders]

So close Jon, so close.
It was actually £37,000 per carriage..... for decals????

 

[wobblycogs]

The gates are nice enough but there's no way they are worth nearly a quarter of a million.

As for the train carriages, that's what happens when you don't have proper competition in the market. What incentive do they have to try and get a good price when they are allowed to raise prices by more than inflation for 10 or 20 years? Not to mention getting subsidies.

 

[devonwoody]

Mailer would have loved that gate job. (in timber) :mrgreen: